Why Does Texas Have Daylight Saving Time?

We were talking in the break room yesterday about why we have Daylight Saving Time. Turns out, it's not what we thought. I found a site called timeanddate.com that gave some great information as to why we have the time change and how a couple of states don't observe it.

Daylight Saving Time has been recorded as far back as ancient times where people would simply adjust their schedules based on sunrise and sunset times. Port Arthur, Canada (now known as Thunder Bay) was the first to use Daylight Saving Time in 1908. It spread to other areas of the country between then and 1916.

Between 1945 and 1966, there were no rules for Daylight Saving Time, causing time confusion among trains, buses and broadcasters.

Germany was the first to use it nationwide. During World War I, they used it to minimize the lighting to save fuel for the war. Europe and other countries moved to using Daylight Savings Time as well.

Benjamin Franklin was the first American to suggest the use of Daylight Savings Time (I'm not quoting National Treasure). He wrote an essay to the Journal of Paris in 1784 that with the longer days of spring and summer, people wouldn't have to use as many candles, saving everyone money.

... the longer days of spring and summer, people wouldn't have to use as many candles, saving everyone money.

In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson signed a law to support the World War I fight. Then it was called "Fast Time". Robert Garland, a Pittsburgh industrialist, had been in Europe and encountered the idea. The time change was later repealed, but Pittsburgh, Boston and New York continued using it. Daylight Saving Time was enacted once again during World War II.

After that is when it went into a bit of chaos.

Between 1945 and 1966, there were no rules for Daylight Saving Time, causing time confusion among trains, buses and broadcasters. The Uniform Time Act was passed in Congress in 1966 setting the last Sunday of April to begin and the last Sunday of October to end Daylight Savings Time. But states could opt out, hence Arizona and Hawaii do not participate.

During a ten month period between 1974 and 1975, to save energy after the oil embargo of 1973, a revised version of Daylight Savings Time was enacted. The energy saved was the same as 10,000 barrels of oil a day but many complained that the early winter mornings, which were dark, was a danger to children getting to school.

Since then there have been many revisions made.

In my opinion, does it need to exist, I don't know. I have no facts to base it on but some have said that agreeing on which Daylight Saving Time, during summer or winter, to use have been a draw back. What are your thoughts?